Ayozé Pérez (now playing for Villarreal)

[Shays Given Tim Flowers]

'too weak'

[Aiston]

He's so wildly underrated.

[Shearergol]

"Snidey fucking leaving the boot in type tackles" = S Mane 15 per game

[DJ_NUFC]

50 tackles is insane. 14 more tackles than the next player. 

 

Quite crazy how the patriot hardman brigade has ignored this aspect of his game that’s always been there.

[Kanj]

His pressing and tackles high up the pitch are fucking incredible tbh

[AyeDubbleYoo]

I think it's fair to be frustrated about how much he would lose the ball under pressure or go down easily in the past TBH. Luckily seems to be something he's working on, and obviously it never offset his other good contributions.

[HaydnNUFC]

Disagree. There are Amazonian tribesmen as yet untouched by civilization who have better footballing brains than this fraud.

 

Spot on.

[LionOfGosforth]

Disagree. There are Amazonian tribesmen as yet untouched by civilization who have better footballing brains than this fraud.

 

Spot on.

 

You forgot to mention he has all the creative talent of a cluster of colour blind hedgehogs...in a bag.

[HaydnNUFC]

Disagree. There are Amazonian tribesmen as yet untouched by civilization who have better footballing brains than this fraud.

 

Spot on.

 

You forgot to mention he has all the creative talent of a cluster of colour blind hedgehogs...in a bag.

 

But that assist to Rondón was straight out of the National Portrait Gallery. Like something by the Colourblind Hedgehog Workshop of Siena.

[Infinitely Content]

Disagree. There are Amazonian tribesmen as yet untouched by civilization who have better footballing brains than this fraud.

 

Spot on.

 

You forgot to mention he has all the creative talent of a cluster of colour blind hedgehogs...in a bag.

 

But that assist to Rondón was straight out of the National Portrait Gallery. Like something by the Colourblind Hedgehog Workshop of Siena.

 

We’ve got the young Ray Hudson here. Get this man a job.

[LionOfGosforth]

Disagree. There are Amazonian tribesmen as yet untouched by civilization who have better footballing brains than this fraud.

 

Spot on.

 

You forgot to mention he has all the creative talent of a cluster of colour blind hedgehogs...in a bag.

 

But that assist to Rondón was straight out of the National Portrait Gallery. Like something by the Colourblind Hedgehog Workshop of Siena.

 

That's very true and an excellent call, but i'm not sure he has the talent for disguise to get into a polar bear's only golf club by wearing dark glasses like many other support strikers in the Premier League can. Get rid.

[HaydnNUFC]

Disagree. There are Amazonian tribesmen as yet untouched by civilization who have better footballing brains than this fraud.

 

Spot on.

 

You forgot to mention he has all the creative talent of a cluster of colour blind hedgehogs...in a bag.

 

But that assist to Rondón was straight out of the National Portrait Gallery. Like something by the Colourblind Hedgehog Workshop of Siena.

 

That's very true and an excellent call, but i'm not sure he has the talent for disguise to get into a polar bear's only golf club by wearing dark glasses like many other support strikers in the Premier League can. Get rid.

 

[LionOfGosforth]

Disagree. There are Amazonian tribesmen as yet untouched by civilization who have better footballing brains than this fraud.

 

Spot on.

 

You forgot to mention he has all the creative talent of a cluster of colour blind hedgehogs...in a bag.

 

But that assist to Rondón was straight out of the National Portrait Gallery. Like something by the Colourblind Hedgehog Workshop of Siena.

 

That's very true and an excellent call, but i'm not sure he has the talent for disguise to get into a polar bear's only golf club by wearing dark glasses like many other support strikers in the Premier League can. Get rid.

 

 

Probably shot his delicious plump-breasted pigeon an all, Speckled Jim, good Patriot name that

[Guest Howaythetoon]

Didn’t Trump say all Mexicans were lazy? Good to see Perez raping the stats anyway.

[Kanj]

Funnier when Disco does it. Miss proper novel HTT posts.

[KaKa]

That's one thing you can never accuse Perez of man. That guy presses the opponent like no other.

[HaydnNUFC]

Didn’t someone on here say he “jogs” around? Implying he doesn’t work hard at all.

 

Go back to around 20th October in this thread. Some absolutely awful opinions from the usual suspects.

[Paully]

I've said it numerous times on this thread..........£1.5 million! Absolute bargain!

[Deuce]

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/the-game-dissected-how-ayoze-perez-is-spearheading-newcastles-survival-bid-w28gq336q

 

Can someone copy n paste please

 

 

Quite often when researching statistics for this column, I spot certain players who I didn’t expect to be performing so well.

 

“My God, Ryan Fraser (66) has created more chances than Bernardo Silva (53)”. “Blooming ‘eck, Michael Keane (158) has won more headers than Virgil van Dijk (142).”

 

Another man who often crops up is Ayoze Pérez. So after he helped Newcastle to come back from two goals down to beat Everton, this week’s Game Dissected looks at a player who got so much criticism he embraced it as part of his goal celebration.

 

Up there with the big-six stars

After scoring his second goal in Newcastle’s 3-2 win on Saturday Pérez stood with his fingers in his ears, beaming at Newcastle fans, before being mobbed by his team-mates.

 

Many have suggested the Pérez celebration was a response to criticism he had received both from Newcastle fans and pundits alike. George Caulkin explained how Pérez is developing a good relationship with fellow forward Salomón Rondón and it seems Pérez is having a strong season, playing off and around Rondón.

 

 

The graphic below is the kind of statistical surprise I referred to earlier. When looking at chances created by forwards this season we have the usual suspects like Eden Hazard and Mo Salah and then, just behind Wilfried Zaha, is Pérez.

 

 

The Spaniard’s 38 chances created from 2,295 minutes played in the Premier League this season is better than Wolves’s Raúl Jiménez (36 from 2,472), Liverpool’s Sadio Mané (31 from 2,365) and Harry Kane (29 from 2,247).

 

 

Indeed Pérez has created two more chances this season than he did in the whole of the last campaign. That’s certainly impressive and he was at his creative best when getting Newcastle back into the game on Saturday. The image below is the start of the move which led to Rondón making it 2-1.

 

 

Isaac Hayden plays a lofted pass in behind the Everton defence and Pérez makes a run into space. Rondón has dropped short in front of the back four.

 

The pair show the benefit of their two respective moves in the next image, below.

 

 

Pérez outjumps Keane (maybe he’s not so good at heading after all), knocking the ball down for Rondón who has been left in space by Kurt Zouma.

 

Rondón takes a touch before feeding the ball straight back to Pérez, below.

 

 

Note the position of Pérez’s body as he receives the ball — with his back to goal. With the Everton defenders converging on him, and with Rondón making a run to the back post, Pérez manages to control the ball and spin around in one movement.

 

That means the Newcastle forward is able to then dink a perfect pass to Rondón, below.

 

 

It was a brilliant goal and ticked all the boxes for intelligent and effective forward play by Pérez — intelligent runs, clever header, awareness of team-mates’ movement, perfectly weighted pass.

 

Pérez showed good intelligence for his first goal which made it 2-2. The image below shows Miguel Almirón picking up the ball before he shoots.

 

 

Everton at this point had switched to a back three with Yerry Mina joining Keane and Zouma in central defence. Again Pérez shows good positional sense and anticipates his team-mates’ actions, and is in front of Zouma and ready to dart in behind Keane and fire home after Almirón’s shot was parried by the Everton goalkeeper Jordan Pickford.

 

As the image below shows, Pérez was the player who won the first of several corners as Newcastle searched for a winner, taking the ball down the wing before firing a cross against Zouma.

 

 

And Pérez was clever for the winner too, as the image below shows.

 

 

With the ball in the air and Everton players appealing for offside as Rondón positions himself to win possession, Pérez, who was walking back from an offside position, has his hands raised in the classic “I’m not involved, please don’t flag me offside” pose.

 

But while that might be the message he’s trying to give across, his body position says otherwise, ready to pounce, as he did firing in the winner after Rondón brought the ball down, his sixth league goal of the season.

 

More than goals and assists

If you weren’t surprised by Pérez’s creative ability this season did you know he’s one of the best defensive forwards in the Premier League?

 

 

As the graphic above shows the 25-year-old has recovered possession more often than any forward this season and is also best for interceptions too. Indeed he was top for interceptions last season (24) and the sixth-best forward for recoveries (132) but it is interesting that, as with his chances created tally, he has already made more interceptions this season than he did last.

 

Still not impressed? OK well, as the graphic below shows, Pérez has made the most tackles of any forward this season and is fourth-best for winning the ball back high up the pitch.

 

 

As we have discussed in this column before when analysing Roberto Firmino and Callum Wilson, being good at winning the ball back and pinching possession is one of the key traits of the modern-day forward and it is no wonder that Pérez is an integral part of Rafa Benítez’s team.

 

So integral in fact that when it comes to minutes played in the league this season only goalkeeper Martin Dubravka (2,700) has featured more than Pérez (2,295) who has played 60 minutes more than any other Newcastle outfield player.

 

Pérez is clearly a talented forward and, playing alongside Rondón and Almirón, his ability will shine through. The statistics suggest that he is improving under Benítez and given he is not 26 until the summer has plenty of time to win over doubters who remain.

 

Take those fingers out of your ears, Ayoze — there’s only compliments coming your way.

 

 

Gracias

 

 

[huss9]

just read his interview with Marca in spain.

 

definitely looks like he is waiting for a big move.

 

NEWS

Ayoze Perez gives new big interview to Spanish media – Interesting answers

1 HOUR AGO  4 COMMENTS SHARE   

Ayoze Perez has been speaking to the Spanish media.

 

After scoring twice and getting an assist in the 3-2 win over Everton, the Newcastle striker has given a big interview to Marca.

 

The interview is just ahead of the next Spain squad being announced, so the forward quizzed on that.

 

Also about his club future and what he sees happening…

In the meantime he credits Rafa Benitez and is hoping Rondon is signed on permanently.

 

Interesting stuff from the man of the moment.

 

Ayoze Perez speaking to Marca:

 

Scoring two goals and giving an assist when losing 0-2 to Everton and won 3-2. How did it feel?

 

“It was incredible, I will not forget it in my life.

“It is one of those games that mark you. Newcastle, from what I read, had never achieved a comeback of this kind in the Premier era. In the second part we took a step forward, we scored early 1-2 and this encouraged us to believe.

 

“It was brutal to live it and be the protagonist. More so, before our fans, who never fail … even in the most complicated situations.”

 

Incredible also beating Manchester City?

 

“Yes, above all, unexpected.

 

“When Aguero scored 24 seconds after a concentration error, many things happen to your head and your approach changes.

“We were able, however, to continue competing, to make them feel uncomfortable and we knew how to take advantage of our opportunities.

“Winning against City has been a turning point in our season.”

 

In the last 10 matches you have scored five goals and one assist. It seems that the best is always reserved for the end.

 

“It’s not something I look for but it’s true that I usually finish very well. Starting in December, I play better, the goals come in, the numbers square …”

What has changed for the Ayoze that left Tenerife at 20 years old?

“I’ve realised that those kinds of moves I played in Segunda {Spanish second tier} can not be done in an elite League like the Premier League.

 

“I have improved physically and, above all, in making decisions. The experience makes you read the game better and decide faster.”

 

How has Benítez improved Newcastle and Ayoze?

 

“Since he arrived, we have improved in many aspects. Especially tactical.

 

“The idea is to minimise the failures in defence because we have quality to create chances and win games. So we have done well so far.”

 

Luis García says you deserves an opportunity in the national team. What do you think?

 

“I appreciate the words of Luis García. We know how big it is and it means a lot to me.

 

“He sees me play and he knows that I have not always been able to develop my football, how much I sacrifice myself and that, in the five years that I have been here, I have always tried to give the maximum.”

 

Are you waiting for Luis Enrique’s squad with impatience?

 

“I work to be there some day. Obviously, I know it’s complicated because there are many players but I try to make merits so they can see what I can be.”

 

Do you feel that you are ready to play with Spain?

 

“Of course. I am ready and with a tremendous hope of being able to see myself in a squad of Spain. It would be incredible for me. I, in any case, keep fighting. I hope it happens.”

 

“Do you feel that you are valued more outside than in Spain?

 

“It is difficult to answer. I left the team from my home very young and never got to play in La Liga. Yes I can say that here they have treated me great (in England).”

 

In Newcastle you have become a veteran.

 

“Yes, I have lived in Newcastle a very important stage of my life. I have grown and matured here. In fact, I’m the second player with the most time in the squad. The Hispanics even tell me that I should have to be captain general [smiles].”

 

Would you like to return to Spain?

 

“Yes. I am very grateful to Newcastle but it is obvious that some day I would like to come back and play in La Liga.”

There have been plenty of suitors: Everton, Tottenham … What does the future hold?

 

“To this day, I do not know. I hope something very good. I believe that I have made merit these five years so that a good opportunity presents itself.”

How about the duo formed with Rondón?

 

“I would say we make a very good pair. He is a great player. He makes other players better. I feel very comfortable playing with him, we understand each other well. Hopefully Newcastle can close his permanent signing.”

[Kanj]

A classic interview in his own home country paper shocker in which he was probably asked 50 times if he’d leave or not.

[Shays Given Tim Flowers]

Not sure there's any reason why he would want to spend his entire playing career at NUFC.

[Dinho lad]

Possibly lost in translation, but I'm not sure why he's saying the Everton comeback is not something that happened to us before.

[Guest NobbyOhNobby]

Possibly lost in translation, but I'm not sure why he's saying the Everton comeback is not something that happened to us before.

We haven't done it since Bobby was in charge, so it hasn't happened to this team before, or for 15 years

[Papavasiliou]

Completely irrelevant but in my last FM game Perez ended up as a 25 goal a season beast that ended up winning the Ballon D'or by 2022, getting called up to the Spain squad for the WC in Qatar, came off the bench for his first cap in the final and scored the winner.

 

Possibly the most unrealistic save I've ever had on it though. Atsu ended up 2018 Ballon D'or winner and Pep turned Borussia Monchengladbach into a European powerhouse inside the first two seasons.